System for guiding and securing the position of strand elements

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system for guiding and securing the position of strand elements, such as cables, hoses or tubes, in particular in wind power installations, said system comprising a base body ( 1 ) that forms at least one strand passage with a receiving space ( 19 ) for at least one strand element. The invention is characterized in that the respective strand passages are formed by inserts ( 3 ) in the form of independent components and in that a locking device is provided, which comprises locking elements ( 25 ) for forming a form-fitting latching of the respective inserts ( 3 ) on the base body ( 1 ).

The invention relates to a system for guiding and securing the position of strand elements, such as cables, hoses or tubes, in particular in wind power installations, having a base body which forms at least one strand passage, which delimits a receiving space for at least one strand element.

Fastening systems of this type are the state of the art. The document DE 10 2010 032 687 A1, for example, discloses a fastening system of this type which is provided in particular for use with wind power installations. In order to convey the energy generated in wind power installations, and for other operational purposes, such as control, monitoring and the like, strand elements, such as cables for power transmission, hoses, tubes and/or lines for control or communication purposes, which lead from the nacelle into the tower, need to be reliably secured to appropriate support structures, for example to the tower segments.

With the aforementioned known solution, strand passages are formed in the base body for this purpose in such a manner that the strand passages succeed each other in a sequence extending at least over part of a ring, with external openings.

Based on this prior art, the object of the invention is to provide a system of the aforementioned type that can be manufactured simply and efficiently, and thereby cost-effectively.

This object is solved according to the invention by a system having the features of claim 1 in the entirety thereof.

Accordingly, an essential feature of the invention consists in that the respective strand passages are formed by inserts in the form of independent components, and that a locking device is provided which comprises locking elements for forming a formfitting latching of the respective inserts on the base body.

With the systems of the prior art, manufacturing the base body is elaborate because this base body is not only a component supporting the strand passages, but rather also forms the strand passages due to the corresponding design. Along with the special design needed for this purpose, the base body, for example with wind power installations, with a larger number of strand passages for likewise larger strand diameters, represents a component of large overall dimensions. This compels the use of large format tools, for example for the injection molding of the base body, whereby the manufacturing is cost-intensive. In contrast, with the invention, in that separate inserts each form strand passages which can be locked on the respective base body, the possibility arises to form a base body in a simple manner because the base body only needs to fulfill the function of a support body without itself forming strand passages.

The system according to the invention is furthermore, cost-effective insofar as it represents a type of modular system for a broad range of applications, with which different inserts having receiving spaces of different shapes and dimensions can be locked in a freely selectable arrangement to a base body that only needs to form the supports for inserts, which can be shaped differently to adapt to different types and sizes of strand elements.

The locking device, in an advantageous manner, can have locking elements on the respective insert in the form of projecting hook parts which form latch surfaces for forming a catch, securing the inserts to the base body.

With particular advantage, the locking device on the base body can have locking elements in the form of recesses, which allow a form-fitting engagement at least of one part of hook parts located on the respective insert.

With particularly advantageous example embodiments, a base body is provided in the shape of a carrier plate, whose edge runs along at least one part of a circle, wherein passages, in which inserts can be accommodated, are formed distributed along the edge of the carrier plate. Such carrier plates can be simply and efficiently manufactured as a metal part, for example.

Such a carrier plate can, in an advantageous manner, form an arc having an outer peripheral edge and an inner edge running at a radial distance thereto, wherein, starting from the peripheral edge, passages are formed for inserts, at whose ends facing toward the inner edge, projecting hook parts having latch surfaces located thereon can overlap the inner edge of the carrier plate for forming the locking. With inserts, injection molded from plastic material, the hook parts can be formed by integrally molded projections.

Alternatively, with advantageous example embodiments, the carrier plate can have the form of a star-shaped body having arms, the ends of which lie on a circular line, wherein passages are formed for a respective insert between the arms, and wherein, on the ends of the inserts facing toward the center of the star-shaped body, hook parts are provided with latch surfaces which engage in associated boreholes of the star-shaped body for forming the locking. Thereby, inserts, which are disposed lying radially outside in the star, can be locked in the passages against radial movement due to fastening to the central region of the star-shaped body. Here, the inserts can have receiving spaces of different shapes and/or sizes.

With particularly advantageous example embodiments, the receiving spaces can, for the insertion of strand elements, have a lateral opening that can be closed by means of a cover device exerting a retaining force on inserted strand elements.

Here, the arrangement can be designed so that the cover device, as is known from the aforementioned document DE 10 2010 032 687 A1, has a retaining body, and a tension strap guided over the retaining body, which tensions the retaining body against the stand elements inserted in the strand passages.

In particularly advantageous example embodiments, the carrier plate has the shape of a circular disk, in which passages for inserts in the form of ring bodies are provided disposed along the periphery.

Here, the arrangement can be designed with advantage so that inserts that can be pushed from one side into the passages of the disk are provided in the form of integral ring bodies, on which radially projecting shoulders are integrally molded as locking elements, which, in an insertion position, can penetrate through recesses of the disk and, by rotation of the ring body out of the insertion position into a locking position, engage behind the assigned edge of the respective passage of the disk. A locking in the form a bayonet locking is thereby formed. The circular disk provided here as a base body can be manufactured efficiently, using laser technology, from a metal disk, having the passages for the inserts and the recesses for the radially projecting shoulders of the ring bodies. Alternatively, fabric-based laminate and waterjet cutting, or other mechanical processing is also possible.

With particularly preferred example embodiments, in which the radially projecting shoulders have angled latch noses on the end, the respective ring bodies can be secured in the locking position in that the latch noses latch with latch recesses of the disk.

Alternatively, two-part ring bodies can be provided with ring halves formed as identical parts, which can be pushed from the one and the other side into the respective passages of the disk, and are provided with latch noses and latch receiver as locking elements, which, during pushing in, latch the ring halves with each other for forming the assembled ring body.

The invention is explained in greater detail below based on example embodiments shown in the figures. The figures show:

FIG. 1 an oblique perspective view of an example embodiment of the system according to the invention having three inserts serving as strand passages, secured in a carrier plate, wherein an associated tension strap is omitted;

FIG. 2 an oblique perspective view shown in larger scale of only a single insert;

FIG. 3 a top view of an example embodiment having a carrier plate in the form of a star-shaped body, wherein an associated tension strap is omitted;

FIG. 4 a top view of the star-shaped body from FIG. 3 shown in an individual representation;

FIG. 5 a top view of an insert formed by a ring body having a strand passage in the form of a passage ring;

FIG. 6 an oblique perspective view of the ring body from FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 a top view of an example embodiment of the system according to the invention having a carrier plate in the form of a circular disk and having four inserts formed by ring bodies according to FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 an oblique perspective view seen from the bottom side of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 a side view of only one ring half for forming an assembled ring body, which is provided as an insert for a further modified example embodiment;

FIG. 10 an oblique perspective view of the ring halves from FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 an oblique perspective view of the example embodiment in which ring bodies, which are composed of the ring halves from FIGS. 9 and 10, are provided as inserts;

FIG. 12 an enlarged partial cross-section corresponding to the cut line 12-12 from FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 a top view of a further example embodiment, similar to FIG. 3, wherein a tension lock is provided instead of a tension strap;

FIG. 14 an individual representation of the star-shaped body of the example embodiment of FIG. 13 serving as a carrier plate;

FIG. 15 a side view of a further example embodiment having only one insert in a base body, provided with tension lock, and

FIG. 16 a side view of only the base body from FIG. 15.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show example embodiments of the system according to the invention, with which inserts 3 are fixed to a base body in the form of a carrier plate 1, one of which is shown in an individual representation in FIG. 2. With the example from FIG. 1, the carrier plate 1 has the shape of a circular arc section, which is composed of a metal material, and is welded to an associated fastening element 5. With the example embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the carrier plate 1 has the shape of a star-shaped body 7 having four arms 9 which extend radially outward from the center 11 and at the outer ends thereof define an imaginary circular line. Passages 13, which extend from the peripheral edge in the direction of the center 11 and in which inserts 3 can be accommodated and locked, are formed between the arms 9. With the example from FIG. 1, passages 13 for inserts 3 are formed in a corresponding manner starting from the outer peripheral edge 15.

Fastening locations 17 are provided both on an arc of the carrier plate 1 from FIG. 1 as well as on the star-shaped body 7 from FIGS. 3 and 4, for a tension strap, not shown, as is known from the prior art, (see DE 10 2010 032 687 A1), using which the outer periphery of the carrier plate can be tensioned. FIG. 2 shows the design of an insert 3 in the form of an injection molded part composed of a thermoplastic plastic material, which is formed trough-like and delimits a strand passage 19, which extends from an outer opening 21 with a substantially V-shaped tapering in the direction of a locking end 24 on which projecting hook part 25 is integrally molded, provided as a locking element. The hook part 25 is angled at the end such that a latch surface 27 is formed. With the example embodiment from FIG. 1, the latch surface 27 overlaps the inner edge 29 of the arc of the carrier plate 1 in order to lock the respective insert 3 at the carrier plate 1.

Retaining ribs 29, formed as strand receivers for strand elements (which are not shown) inserted via the opening 21, are projecting on the inside of the strand passage 19 of the inserts 3. The opening 21 can be closed by means of a pusher part 31 in a manner know from the aforementioned document, which as a part of the cover device in cooperation with the tension strap (not shown) exerts a retaining force on inserted strand elements via a spring-loaded pressure element 33. The pusher parts 31, as is also known, are pivotably hinged at the edge of the opening 21. With the example embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the hook parts 25 for locking the inserts 3 engage with the latch surfaces 27 thereof in assigned, rectangular shaped boreholes 35 which are formed in the center 11 of the star shaped body 7. FIG. 2 shows a strand passage 19 in the form of a substantially V-shaped trough, wherein the passages 13 in the carrier plate 1 also have a V-shape corresponding hereto. In contrast, FIGS. 3 and 4 show, at the location marked with arrows 37, a U-shape of the respective passages 13 for an insert 3 in the shape of a U-shaped trough, with which the strand passage 19 is likewise designed to be U-shaped.

FIGS. 5 to 8 show an example embodiment in which the carrier plate is formed by a metal circular disk 39, in which circular passages 41 are formed for inserts in the form of ring bodies 43. These passages 41, and further recesses 45 and 47 in the circular disk 39 are preferably formed using laser processing.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ring bodies 43 have a circular cylindrical part 49 (FIG. 6), that can be pushed in from the top side of the circular disk 39, visible in FIG. 7, into the passage 41, wherein a radially projecting end edge 51 lies on the top side of the circular disk 39. On the opposite, bottom end of the cylindrical part 49, radially projecting shoulders 53 are integrally molded as locking elements which can penetrate through the recesses 45 of the disk 39 while pushing the ring bodies 43 into the passages 41. FIG. 7 shows the ring body 43, located on the extreme left, in the insertion position thereof, in which the shoulders 53 are aligned on the recesses 45 of the disk 39 so that the inserts 53 can penetrate through the recesses 45 and the ring body 43 can be inserted into the passage 41. In contrast, the remaining ring bodies 43 shown in FIG. 7 and in FIG. 8 are rotated out of the insertion position into the end position or locking position, in which the shoulders 53 are located on the bottom side of the disk 39 as locking elements; see FIG. 8 where the bottom side of the disk 39 is visible. The recesses 45, in interaction with the shoulders 53 and using the ability of the ring bodies 43 to rotate, thus form a type of bayonet lock for locking the ring bodies 43 to the disk 39. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shoulders 53 have latch noses 55 angled at the end sides, which fail into recesses 47 during rotation of the ring bodies 43 into the end position, and which secure the ring bodies 43 in the rotation position corresponding to the locking position. FIG. 8 shows the same situation as FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9 to 12 show a further example embodiment having a base body in the shape of a circular disk 39, which, however, contains no further recesses other than circular passages 41 for inserts. The inserts are provided again in the shape of ring bodies 43, which in contrast to FIGS. 5 to 8 are not formed as integral plastic bodies, but rather are formed two-piece. Two identical ring halves 57 are provided for this purpose, which have latch noses 59 and latch receivers 61.

During pushing into the passage 41 of the disk 39, the ring halves 57 latch together from one side and the other for forming the assembled ring body 43, wherein the radially projecting end edges 51 lie on the top and bottom side of the disk 39.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show an example embodiment that corresponds to the example from FIGS. 3 and 4 except that the cover device does not have a tension strap for interacting with the pressure parts 31, but rather a tension lock containing a known tension lever 65 containing a spring assembly. This tension lever, on the end opposite the handle 67, has a pin 69 which can be hooked in a recess 71 on the edge of the openings 21 of the passages 13 during the pivoting of the tension lock in the position locking the opening 13 of the respective passage 13.

FIGS. 15 and 16 shows an example embodiment with which a carrier plate 1 having only one passage 13 for receiving a single insert 3 is provided as a base body. With this example embodiment also, a rectangular bore hole 35 is provided for locking the insert 3 in place, for catching with the latch surface of the hook part 25 of the insert 3. A tension lock is provided, as with the example from FIGS. 13 and 14, as a cover device for locking the opening 21 of the passage 13. 

1. A system for guiding and securing the position of strand elements, such as cables, hoses or tubes, in particular in wind power installations, having a base body (1, 7, 39), which forms at least one strand passage that delimits a receiving space (19) for at least one strand element, characterized in that the respective strand passages are formed by inserts (3, 43) in the form of independent components, and in that a locking device is provided, which comprises locking elements (25, 51, 53) for forming a form-fitting latching of the respective inserts (3, 43) on the base body (1, 7, 39).
 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device has locking elements on the respective insert (3) in the form of projecting hook parts (25) having latch surfaces (27) for forming a catch securing the inserts (3) to the base body (1, 7).
 3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking device has locking elements on the base body (7) in the form of recesses (35) which allow a form-fitting engagement at least of one part (27) of hook parts (25) located on the respective insert (3).
 4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that a base body is provided in the form of a carrier plate (1, 7), the edge (15) of which runs along at least a part of a circle, and that distributed along the edge (15) of the carrier plate (1, 7), passages (13) arc formed in this in which inserts (3) can be received.
 5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier plate (1) forms a part of an arc having an outer peripheral edge (15) and an inner edge (29) running at a radial distance thereto, that passages (13) for inserts (3) are formed starting from the peripheral edge (15), and that, on the ends thereof facing toward the inner edge (29), projecting hook parts (25) engage with latch surfaces (27) located thereon, over the inner edge (29) of the carrier plate (1), for forming the locking.
 6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier plate has the form of a star-shaped body (7) having arms (9), the ends of which lie on a circular line, that passages (13) for a respective insert (3) are formed between the arms (9), and that projecting hook parts (25) with latch surfaces (27) are provided on the ends of the inserts (3) facing toward the center (11) of the star-shaped body (7) that engage in the assigned boreholes (35) of the star-shaped body (7) for forming the locking.
 7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the inserts (3) have receiving spaces (19) of different shapes and/or sizes.
 8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving spaces (19) for the insertion of strand elements have a lateral opening (21) that can be closed by means of a cover device (31, 33) exerting a retaining force on inserted strand elements.
 9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier plate has the shape of a circular disk (39) in which circular passages (41) are provided, disposed along the periphery, for inserts in the shape of ring bodies (43).
 10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that inserts are provided in the form of integral ring bodies (43) that can be pushed in from one side into the passage (41) of the disk (39), on which radially projecting shoulders (53) are integrally molded as locking elements, which, in an insertion position, can penetrate through recesses (45) of the disk, and, by rotation of the ring body (43) out of the insertion position into a locking position, engage behind the assigned edge of the respective passage (41) of the disk (39).
 11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the shoulders (53) have angled latch noses (55) on the ends, which, in the locking position, latch with latch recesses (47) of the disk (39).
 12. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that two-part ring, bodies (43) are provided, having ring halves (57) formed as identical parts, which can be pushed in from the one side and the other side into the respective passage (41) of the disk (39), and are provided with latch noses (59) and latch receivers (61) as locking elements, which latch the ring halves (57) together while pushing in, for forming the assembled ring body (43). 